Our study of the seven vials is drawing to a close, but we still have important subjects to explore, among which is the famous battle of Armageddon.

What exactly does this mean? And how can we prepare ourselves for this great conflict?

May Your prophetic Word give us all the answers we need. In Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:12,14,16

Comments

And the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates. (...)

They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great Day of God Almighty. (...)

And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

After the first five vials have brought terrible calamities upon the world, the unrepentant nations will be filled with uncontrollable anger against God.

They will then respond to the call of Satan, who will gather them together for the final battle between good and evil: Armageddon.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:12,13

Comments

And the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates. (...)

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

The sixth vial is poured out on the river Euphrates: we will come back to this point in a moment.

But first, let’s look at the characters taking part in the battle of Armageddon between good and evil.

Unrepentant men, who represent the powers of evil, will be led by the members of the satanic trinity, which we studied in our previous lessons.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:13,14

Comments

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles.

The unclean spirits of the satanic trinity are like frogs, reminding us of the magicians’ enchantments during the plagues in Egypt.

Exodus 8:6,7

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

Screen 6

Revelation 16:13,14

Comments

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great Day of God Almighty.

Through deceiving signs and wonders the satanic trinity will manage to gather together all the nations of the earth under the same standard, for the «great Day of God Almighty».

What is that great Day?

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Zephaniah 1:14,17

Comments

The great Day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hastens greatly. (...)

I will bring distress on men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord.

The «great Day of the Lord» is the glorious Day of Jesus Christ’s return, which will take place at the pouring out of the seventh and last vial.

Joel 2:31

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible Day of the Lord come.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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The final battle will gather together all the nations of the earth...

«[The ten kings] have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast.» (Revelation 17:13)

«And power was given [to the beast] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.» (Revelation 13:7)

«And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.» (Revelation 17:18)

«Proclaim you this among the Gentiles; “Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.” (...) Assemble yourselves, and come, all you heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause Your mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. (...) Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the Day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.» (Joel 3:9,11,12,14)

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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... and the target of the nations’ attack will be Jesus, at His return!

«[The ten kings] have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb.» (Revelation 17:13,14)

«And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. (...) His name is called “The Word of God.” And the armies which were in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (...) And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.» (Revelation 19:11,13,14,19)

«A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with the nations, He will plead with all flesh; He will give them that are wicked to the sword.» (Jeremiah 25:31)

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 6:14-17

Comments

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks,

«Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great Day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?»

Of course, as we will see in detail in our next lesson, men will quickly realize the foolishness of their venture, when they see Jesus coming with power and great glory, with all His angels...

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 17:17

Comments

For God has put in their hearts to fulfill His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

But how will the nations come to the point of blindly following the satanic trinity’s orders, and believing that they really can overcome Jesus and His heavenly armies?

Here is how: the Spirit of God having been withdrawn from the earth since the close of probation, men will be completely given over to Satan’s deceiving power working in them without any opposition.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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God allows Satan’s deception to lead the wicked to their punishment:

«And then shall that Wicked be revealed, (...) whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all delusion of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.» (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12)

«The Lord said, “Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead?” And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, “I will persuade him.” And the Lord said to him, “With which?” And he said, “I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And He said, “You shall persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.”» (1 Kings 22:20-22)

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:16

Comments

And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

The final battle between Jesus and the impenitent nations, which will be the subject of our next lesson, will occur in a place called «Armageddon».

This Hebrew word means «Mountain of destruction», which hints at the fatal outcome of this last conflict.

But the word Armageddon can also be translated as «Mountain of Megiddo». Now, Megiddo is the name of a site in the North of Palestine, and some people believe that the battle of Armageddon will take place at this site.

Is this correct?

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:16

Comments

And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Two problems arise when we try to connect Armageddon and Megiddo literally:

First, whereas Armageddon means «Mountain of Megiddo», the place called Megiddo is a plain.

Besides, the plain of Megiddo covers an area of only 200 square miles (300 square kilometres): it could hardly hold all the nations of the earth at war.

However, Megiddo was the scene of decisive battles and miraculous deliverances in the history of Israel. This is the key to the enigma of Armageddon...

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Judges 4:7,15

Comments

«I will draw to you to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into your hand.» (...)

And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak.

One of the most famous battles which took place at Megiddo, at the River Kishon which flowed through this plain, was the battle between the Hebrew people, led by Barak and the prophetess Deborah on one side, and the Canaanites, led by Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin king of Canaan on the other side.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Judges 5:19-21

Comments

The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

The river of Kishon swept them away.

The Hebrews faced a coalition of armed kings and powers which would surely have annihilated them.

But God intervened for His people, and put their enemies to rout.

This war at Megiddo illustrates the miraculous deliverance of God’s people from the hands of the nations in revolt, when Jesus returns.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Sisera’s defeat at Megiddo perfectly foreshadows Armageddon:

«They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted against Your hidden ones.

They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”

For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against You: the tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot.

Do to them as to the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kishon: which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.» (Psalm 83:3-10)

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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1 Kings 18:18,19

Comments

And [Elijah] answered [king Ahab],

«I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and you have followed Baalim.

Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.»

Armageddon, the «Mountain of Megiddo», also refers to the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, which took place on Mount Carmel.

Carmel was the nearest mountain to the plain of Megiddo, about six miles (10 kilometres) away from it.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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1 Kings 18:38-40

Comments

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, «The Lord, He is the God! The Lord, He is the God!»

And Elijah said to them, «Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.»

And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

On that occasion and in full view of everyone, God clearly demonstrated His infinite superiority over all false gods.

Then the prophets of Baal were brought down «to the brook Kishon», in the plain of Megiddo, to be killed.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:12

Comments

And the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates.

And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

How will the nations react, when they realize that the battle of Armageddon is lost in advance, and that they will be destroyed by the glorious coming of Jesus?

The answer is in the symbolic drying up of the Euphrates, a river which flowed through ancient Babylon.

Now, what does this symbolic drying up, caused by the sixth vial, mean for spiritual Babylon?

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Jeremiah 50:35,38

Comments

«A sword is on the Chaldeans,» said the Lord, «and on the inhabitants of Babylon, and on her princes, and on her wise men. (...)

A drought is on her waters; and they shall be dried up.»

Ancient Babylon, established on the river Euphrates, seemed impenetrable.

And yet, she fell into the hands of the Medes and Persians, who diverted the course of the river, and then used the dried riverbed to enter and invade the city.

Jeremiah 51:36

Therefore thus said the Lord, «Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you.

And I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.»

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 17:1,15/td>

Comments

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying to me,

«Come here; I will show to you the judgment of the great whore that sits on many waters.» (...)

And he said to me,

«The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.»

Similar to ancient Babylon, which was established on the river Euphrates, spiritual Babylon is also established on the spiritual river Euphrates, since she «sits on many waters».

This spiritual Euphrates symbolizes «peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues».

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 18:2,4

Comments

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen! (...)

Come out of her, My people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.

At the time of the loud cry calling every one to come out of Babylon, before the close of probation, a lot of sincere believers will respond to this call and come out of the apostate system.

These believers will begin to dry up the waters of Babylon, that is, the peoples and multitudes over which she exerts her domination.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 17:16,18

Comments

And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (...)

And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

This drying up will be completed by the end of the sixth vial.

The nations, seeing that they have been deceived by Babylon (the coalition of apostate churches led by the Papacy), will then completely withdraw their support, and deprive her of the authority they have given her.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 9:13-15

Comments

And the sixth angel sounded.

And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet,

«Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.»

And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Let’s notice that the correlation between the trumpets and vials is still present here: the sixth trumpet and the sixth vial both strike the Euphrates.

But whereas the judgment of the trumpet kills only «the third part of men», the vial announces a complete destruction of the wicked.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Isaiah 44:27,28

Comments

[The Lord] said to the deep, «Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers.»

[He] said of Cyrus, «He is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure.»

When the river Euphrates was dried up, ancient Babylon fell into the hands of Cyrus, king of Persia.

Exactly as foretold, Cyrus came «from the east» of the kingdom of Babylon.

Isaiah 46:10,11

I will do all My pleasure: calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes My counsel from a far country.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:12

Comments

And the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates.

And the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Likewise, when the nations cease supporting spiritual Babylon, thus drying up her spiritual Euphrates, the way will be prepared for the coming of the King from the east, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24:27

For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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The coming of Jesus, the spiritual Cyrus, will complete Babylon’s fall:

«The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. (...)

They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Howl you; for the Day of the Lord is at hand! It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travails: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

Behold, the Day of the Lord comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.» (Isaiah 13:1,5-9)

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:15,16

Comments

«Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.»

And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Right in the middle of the sixth vial, Jesus Christ, the King from the east Himself, digresses for a moment to remind us that He is just about to return.

But what is the meaning of the words «I come as a thief»?

Does this mean that He will return in a secret way, without making any noise?

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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2 Peter 3:10

Comments

The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Jesus will return «as a thief», that is, suddenly and unexpectedly.

But His return won’t take place in a secret or silent way... far from it!

1 Thessalonians 5:2,3

The Day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

For when they shall say, «Peace and safety!», then sudden destruction comes on them.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 16:15

Comments

Behold, I come as a thief.

Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Finally, Jesus counsels us to keep the garment of righteousness He gave us, so that we may not experience the humiliating fate of Babylon the harlot, who made the choice of dressing herself with her own clothes.

Isaiah 47:1,3

Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! (...)

Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, your shame shall be seen.

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Revelation 3:18

Comments

I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

In fact, the sixth vial takes up again Jesus’ advice to Laodicea, the Church of the last days.

It must obtain the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness, «that the shame of your nakedness do not appear», in addition to obtaining gold (steadfast faith), and eye salve (the Holy Spirit).

If I Were Told the Future

Lesson 87

Armageddon

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Let’s pray together:

Father,

The battle of Armageddon, the final fight between the powers of good and evil, is won in advance for those who will struggle along at Your side.

In order to prepare ourselves for this important Day, we humbly ask You to grant us what we really need: the faith of Jesus, similar to gold refined in the fire; the righteousness of Jesus, similar to white garments which clothe us; and the Holy Spirit, similar to eye salve opening our eyes.

We thank You for these priceless goods which come from You alone. In the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray.

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